


Getting Up

by nerdzeword



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abuse, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-25
Updated: 2015-02-10
Packaged: 2018-02-26 22:43:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2669123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdzeword/pseuds/nerdzeword
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione is alone in the world. A late night decision will bring her closer to Draco Malfoy than she ever thought was possible, and maybe even help her gain her life back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Escape

**Author's Note:**

> This story will have a lot of Ron bashing. I love Ron, but unfortunately for him, he's easy to pick on. Even so, I do try and do him justice in this. 
> 
> This fic does a lot of exploration of what goes on in the heads of those in emotionally abusive relationships so if that's a trigger for you, consider this a warning. If you have been in an abusive relationship and are cool with reading this story, then please feel free to tell me anything I might have wrong as I have never been in an emotionally abusive relationship (and I hope i never am)
> 
> As always, none of the characters are mine.

Chapter 1

Their relationship started as one would expect. They were happy. They were in love. Hermione thought she had made the best decision of her life. Why wouldn’t she? He was her best friend. He had been there for her, through the good times and, well, most of the bad. Her parents approved of him, as did all of her other friends, hell the Weasleys were like a second family to her. But if Hermione had paid attention, had truly let herself feel it, she would have known he wasn’t good for her. Her heart still refused to believe it though.

Not until that day.

It wasn’t a long journey, but it was a hard one, her path to happiness. At first, she thought she’d had it. Maybe that’s why she stayed so long? But her happiness soon turned sour. Their fights started small, you left your clothes on the floor. You didn’t do the dishes. In retrospect, she should have known. Relationships were about give and take. All he did was take.

The fights grew longer, more personal. He became possessive. Where have you been? Who did you see? At first she would be mad. Why did it matter? Then he would look at her with such passion filled eyes, and tell her that he was sorry, that he just worried. She would fall right back in. She forgave him, over and over, until she convinced herself there was nothing left to forgive. Why would there be? This was Ron, he wouldn’t hurt her. She began to hate the word sorry.

In her hurry to abate his worry, Hermione found herself cut off from the rest of the world. Friends and family included. When her father died six months later, she didn’t even go to the funeral. When Harry asked Ron why she wasn’t with them when they went for drinks one day, Ron told him she was busy with work. She’d quit her job four months in. She had never imagined herself in the role of the good wife, the wife who sat around the house, cooking and cleaning and taking care of the kids.

Not that there were any kids.

That’s when it started, their fights weren’t really fights anymore. They were more of words of abuse thrown in Hermione’s direction, under the pretense of a fight. You love books more than me. You always have. I’m the only one who could ever love you. Hermione eventually stopped starting the fights, content to let him do whatever he wanted, so long as she didn’t have to hear those awful truths anymore. They had to be truths, Ron loved her, why would he lie?

It was a year before the infidelity started. He would bring the girls home, not even caring if she was home or not. (She always was.) The year before, she would have left. Now she just looked at him sadly, wondering why? She finally asked him one day. After a string of replies about how unappealing she was and how she wasn’t good enough, Hermione was sorry she asked. She noticed however, that it never stopped him from taking her into his bed as well.

They were married for three years before she reached the last straw. After some really bad cramps, and being sick every afternoon for a week, Hermione finally broke down and went to the doctor, both elated and rather dreading the knowledge she was almost certainly about to receive. She was right. She was pregnant. The thought made her sick at first.

“So I went to the hospital today-” she’d started when her husband got home. she’d never gotten to finish. He exploded. How dare she leave the house without his permission. How dare she not tell him where she was going. She exploded right back, the feeling was new after so long of playing the role of the pacifist. How dare she? He hadn’t even let her finish, she could have been dying and he would never know. Then he did the unthinkable. The thing she had been telling herself for three years wasn’t possible. He hit her. His hand coming across her cheek in a wide arc. Hermione could feel it swelling beneath her shocked fingers as she clutched her face. She knew what she had to do. She left. she summoned all of her belongings and placed them in her beaded bag, then apparated without a word. She wouldn’t give him a chance to apologize, to beg her to take him back. To say it was all just a horrible mistake.

She let the tears run their course down her face as she apparated into the forest somewhere. Where could she go? She had no friends. Not anymore. And certainly none that weren’t also friends with him. Well then, if not friends, why not enemies?

She had read about Draco Malfoy in the papers. Apparently he was an upstanding citizen nowadays. She knew him to work in the aurors office with Harry and Ron, and from what she could gather, he was very very good at his job. And Ron still hated his guts.

That fact alone spurred her decision to apparate to Malfoy Manor. Or rather, just outside the grounds. She walked up the long winding path to the door trepidatiously. Hesitating a moment before knocking on the large wooden front door. She wondered for a moment if he would even be able to hear her knock, but that worry was soon put to rest when the door swung open. Of course. Wards. He’d known she was here the entire time.

“Granger?” He asked, looking more than a little surprised. She just nodded, both physically and mentally exhausted. He opened the door wider and beckoned her to come in.

“Did Weasley do that to you?” He asked her as soon as the door was shut. Her hand flew to her face, touching the bruise gingerly before nodding. “Do you talk anymore? You never used to shut up.” Hermione bit her lip.

“Sorry.”

“Merlin Granger!” Malfoy took a step back to look at her “He really did a number on you. Why on earth would you apologize? You haven’t done anything wrong!” Hermione stared at him in shock, then burst into tears again. He summoned a camera and a potion, then led her to a sitting room.

“Here, I’m going to fix that bruise but we need to take a picture first, it’ll help you when you file for the divorce. With that kind of facial maring, you should be able to take him for everything he’s got.” He told her as he sat her down in one of the chairs, and waited for her to calm down. When she had, she shook her head.

“I don’t want him for everything he’s got. I just want him out of my life.” Draco shrugged and took a picture anyway.

“Well, if you change your mind later, we’ll have it.” He put the camera away and handed her the potion. “Drink that entire thing.” She nodded and did as she was told. Hermione was lost in a whirlwind of emotions. She would have loved to say that she didn’t believe Ron could have done such a thing, that he loved her and it was all just a big mistake, but she knew it wasn’t true. He had proved it time and time again, and she had been too blinded by love to feel it.

And then there was Malfoy. She thought it strange to call him Malfoy now, he was nothing like the prat she used to know. It pained her to think about the role reversal. Malfoy used to be the one to hurt her. Now he was her saviour. Ron used to be her best friend and companion. Not even Malfoy, with all his stupid jabs and taunts, had hurt her like this.

“Why are you helping me?” she asked him carefully. He shrugged

“It’s the right thing to do.”

“And since when do you care about doing the right thing?” she demanded.

“Ah! there’s the Granger we all know and love! I much prefer the distrust and accusations over the moping about. At last now I know you’re still human, after all of that brainwashing he did to you.” She looked up at him.

“Brainwashing?”

“What else do you call it when you replace a person’s entire personality? I heard he and Potter talking about you, you know. I honestly didn’t believe it when the weasel said you just stayed home all the time. I thought for sure he was lying, after all, this is you we’re talking about. The infuriating girl who was completely obsessed with helping those who don’t want to be helped.” Hermione gave a hollow laugh

“I don’t know who I am anymore.” she said bitterly. Draco helped her to her feet.

“Well then I suppose we’ll just have to find out won't we?”


	2. Distance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter for you all. Enjoy.

Chapter 2

When Hermione woke up, she was  in a strange room. Somehow, all the events of the night before seemed like a distant dream. A mistake. She had made a mistake. He would hate her now. She couldn’t live with herself if he hated her. Where would she go? What would she do? She would just have to go back. Beg for forgiveness.

She got out of bed and changed in the adjoining bathroom. She was brushing her hair when she heard a knock on her door.   

“Come in!” She yelled. the door opened and Malfoy stood in the doorway.

“How are you feeling?” he asked her, eyeing her carefully, no doubt looking for more signs of damage.

“Much better now thanks, but I’m afraid this has all been a big mistake and I really should be getting back." He gaped at her.

“Granger are you serious? Have you forgotten what he did to you last night?”

“No, but I’m sure it was just an-”

“Granger that wasn’t an accident, that was a five star bruised on your face. He’s not going to just let you waltz back in there unscathed.”

“I know but if I ask him to for-”

“You’ve done nothing wrong!” Malfoy exploded. “You removed yourself from a dangerous situation! That’s not something you apologize for! Merlin Granger, I thought you were smart! Why did you come here last night?”

“Because I knew he hates you. bu-” he held up a finger.

“Why would you risk coming to me, someone you have no reason to trust would keep you safe, rather than Potter, who you’ve known your entire life?”

“I told you! It was a mistake! I was angry!” Hermione was almost crying now.

“Exactly! you were angry! You let yourself feel anger at him for the first time in probably three years and it got you out of a potentially life threatening position. Tell me Granger, if he had hit the Weaslette, what’s her name? Potter’s wife-”

“Ginny.” Hermione cut in helpfully

“Right. If he had hit her, what would you have done?”

“I would have been furious.”

“Like you were last night.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because she was at one time one of my best friends and nothing she could have done would have been a good reason for him to hit her.” Hermione didn’t much like where this conversation was headed.

“You would be angry at him for hurting his sister, but not for hurting you, his wife? You are just as much a person as Ginny Potter. You deserve respect just as much. I remember a time when you would have put him in the dust without raising a finger. What changed?” Hermione started to cry, knowing he was right, but not wanting to believe it. She was confused, really confused. She didn’t know what was right and what was wrong anymore. She just wanted things to go back to the way they were before. When she had two best friends she would give the world to protect, and not one, but two families.

Now all she had was a bunch of clothes in an old beaded bag, a husband she apparently hates, and a baby coming that she had no way of protecting. She had no where to go. No friends, no family, no money. She was completely and utterly alone. Except she wasn’t. At some point she had slid down so she was sitting curled up in a ball on the floor, leaning against the bathroom counter. And somewhere along the line, Draco had joined her. Hermione found she just couldn’t call him Malfoy anymore. He wasn’t the same kid he used to be. He was older, wiser and kinder. And he was there.

“What do I do?” She asked softly. Talking to herself more than to him.

“Well I’ll tell you what we’re going to do. You are going to go help the house elves make breakfast, while I floo Blaise so he can get your divorce papers started." She nodded slightly. Thankful for his help. The small motion set off a chain reaction however, and she was soon reaching for the toilet. Draco pulled her hair from her face as she puked.

“What’s wrong? Are you sick? Did he poison you too?” He asked her, looking just a bit panicked. She slowly shook her head, trying to force the nausea down. He stared at her for a moment.

“Oh merlin you’re pregnant.” He said. Hermione nodded again, slowly standing up to brush her teeth.

“That’s what our fight was about.” She said quietly. “I told him i went to St. Mungo’s and he blew up on me. I didn’t even get a chance to tell him why.”

“You know Granger. You are damn lucky you are having a baby, that little bugger probably just saved your life.” Hermione raised an eyebrow in question. “You’ve been experiencing mood swings right?” He asked her. She nodded, as she still had a toothbrush in her mouth.

“Hormones, from the baby. That’s also probably why you were so calm this morning. The extra hormones boosted your automatic anger at his actions and gave you the motivation to actually act on it.” She nodded slowly.

“Wait. How do you know?” She asked suspiciously.

“Do you really think I live in this huge manor all by myself Granger?” Hermione’s eyes widened.

“You have a kid?” he laughed

“Close, Teddy and Andromeda have been staying with me since her house burnt down a couple of months ago. She has all sorts of fun stories that I don’t want to listen to.” Hermione cracked a smile. Only just then realizing how foreign the action was. Had it really been that long since she had smiled?

“I haven’t seen Andromeda and little Teddy in years.” she said thoughtfully

“I wouldn’t call him little Teddy anymore. He’s almost five and about as obnoxious as you can get.” Hermione smiled again

“Come on. The kitchen is that way, down the stairs and to the right. If you wait too long, the house elves won’t let you help.” He told her, pointing down the hallway to her right. She nodded, then smiled at him.

“Thank you Draco.”

“No problem Hermione.”

 

 


	3. Interests

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all. I'm not sure how much longer I will be updating at a semi regular basis, because I only have 5ish chapters pre-written. I estimate this fic to be around 10-12 chapters in its completion. We'll see. 
> 
> In case you haven't noticed, all of the chapter titles are named after the steps to recovery after emotional abuse. Funny thing about these steps is they really aren't in any particular order, which makes my life easier because then I can match the step with it's corresponding chapter. 
> 
> As always, enjoy!

Chapter 3

Draco had obviously explained the situation to Andromeda, because she didn’t ask Hermione why she was sitting at the Malfoy family dining table, or where her husband was. Hermione was thankful for this as she had no idea how she would have handled it had Andromeda started asking questions.

She had to be reintroduced to little Teddy as he was too young to remember the last time he’d met her. It had been almost a year since she’d even been to the Burrow, as she’d begun opting out of the sunday brunches two years into her marriage. Draco joined the breakfast table about ten minutes in, and the room was immediately lit up with laughter. It was obvious that Teddy rather adored Draco and Draco adored him in turn. Hermione was struck once again with how much the Malfoy heir had changed.

He had become a better person in the last four years. And she had become what exactly? She remembered what she’d told Draco before about how she didn’t know who she was anymore. She realized just how true that was. What did she even like to do? They’d always done what Ron wanted to do, which meant lots and lots of quidditch. What kind of foods did she like? They’d always eaten what Ron wanted. How many of her interests were truly her own now?

Not having the answers to her questions frustrated her to no end. She remembered feeling that way a lot in school. At least that hadn’t changed too. Maybe she should start making a list. Lists always made her feel better. Hey, there was another thing for it.

“Hermione?” She glanced up to look at Draco “You’ve been quiet for an awfully long time over there. Someone might think you’re… up to something.” She giggled slightly at his impersonation of their old Potions teacher, and his face lit up with a grin. “I knew you could laugh!”

“Of course I can laugh. Who isn’t capable of laughing?” She replied with false haughtiness.

“Snape.”

“Touche.”

“Who’s Snape?” Teddy interrupted.

“He was a not very nice man that sometimes did nice things.” Hermione told the little boy. He made a face.

“He sounds boring.” Draco and Hermione both laughed again, Andromeda just smiled.

“He was terribly boring.” Hermione told the boy affirmatively.

“Hey, that’s my godfather you’re talking about.” Draco teased

“I am so sorry.” Hermione replied sarcastically. That was another thing she decided she needed to put on her list. She was sometimes sarcastic. She was starting to feel better already.

“So how do you plan on proceeding with operation rescue Hermione?” Hermione asked Draco when Andromeda and Teddy had left the room. He smirked and she found she’d missed the action. It was something normal in her world of constant flux.

“Oh no. I have no intention of rescuing you Granger. You are going to rescue yourself, I’m going to settle for being an accessory to rescue.” Hermione smiled at his thoughtfulness. He knew she would feel better about the entire situation if she were the one to pull herself out, rather than having to rely on someone else. There was another thing for the list. She was starting to get the hang of the whole personality thing.

“I do however, have a surprise that might help you out with your enlightenment scheme until Blaise gets here.” Hermione followed him from the room, abandoning her half eaten breakfast. He led her up the stairs and through a large set of double doors. Hermione gasped in awe when she saw the rows upon rows of books that lined the room.

“Wow. This place could rival Hogwarts.” She whispered He grinned.

“Actually it has about three hundred more if you count all of the dark texts I had moved to the ministry for safekeeping.” She just nodded mutely, running her fingers along the spines. He smiled at her before walking back towards the door.

“Stay in here as long as you like. If you need me I’ll be in my office.” He was gone before Hermione could turn around. She let out a sigh of relief, now she could peruse the books at her own leisure, without having to worry about entertaining Draco. She found an interesting book on the goblin wars and curled up onto one of the numerous armchairs to read.

 

“What’s this about Draco?” Blaise asked him, throwing himself into one of the chairs in Draco’s study. Draco raised an eyebrow at his friend’s posture. Blaise just grinned and waved some papers in his face.

“Last I checked, you were already divorced so why are you requesting divorce papers?” Draco sighed and steepled his fingers. Blaise scowled “I hate it when you do that. I feel like you’re going to lecture me or something.” Draco scowled back

“Do you want an answer or not?” Blaise waved his hand as if to say ‘carry on.’ “Hermione Granger appeared on my doorstep yesterday, bruised and emotionally scarred from the weasel.” Blaise stared at him for a moment before he broke out into a grin.

“Merlin! I never thought I’d see the day, Draco Malfoy’s become a complete sap!” Draco glared at him but Blaise kept laughing.

“Back on topic please Blaise.”

“Right.” Suddenly blaise was once again all business. Draco noticed with some satisfaction that he had decided to use the chair properly as well. Instead of hanging all over it like an Italian monkey. “What does she want from this deal?”

“She said she doesn’t want anything, but I have a feeling she’ll change her mind later so draw up one of each.” Blaise grinned

“Perfect.” Draco handed him the photo’s he’d taken the night before, newly printed. Blaise stared at them in shock. “Merlin. That wanker really did a number on her didn’t he?” Draco nodded. Blaise stashed the photos in his pocket and stood up.

“I need to talk to her, before I take these pictures into evidence. Anything else I should know.”

“Yeah. She’s pregnant.” Draco said grimly. Blaise sat back down.

“Well that makes my job significantly harder. Weasley’s the father I take it.”

“Yeah.”

“How far along?”

“Near as I can tell, just a couple of weeks. She had just gotten back from St. Mungos when he attacked her.“

“So does he know about the baby then?”

“She said he didn’t.” Blaise nodded, but there was a gleam in his eye and a slight smirk on his lips.

“When we’re done, she’ll have everything, whether she wants it or not.”

 

Blaise and Draco found Hermione in the library right where Draco had left her an hour earlier.  She was curled up in a chair halfway finished with a book on the Goblin Wars that probably hadn’t been touched in over a century. It wasn’t until they were further into the room, that they realized that Teddy was also there, sound asleep in the chair next to her, book on his lap. Draco noticed his hair was now just as curly as Hermione’s, except blue.

Hermione looked up at the sound of Draco’s voice.

“Really Granger? The Goblin Wars? There are literally thousands of books here and you choose the most yawn inducing subject that Binns ever covered?”

“Please. Everything Binns covered was yawn inducing for the sole reason that it was Binns covering it. When not being spoken about by a monotonous ghost, it’s a fascinating subject!” She noticed Blaise standing beside him.

“Oh hello. Zabini is it?” Hermione greeted him softly. Draco could tell that Blaise noticed her shift in mood as well. When he got a hold of Weasley, that man was going to pay for what he did to her. Before he could process why he cared so much about the woman before him, he was interrupted by Blaise.

“Hermione I need you to answer some questions for me.” She nodded at him to continue.

“Do you give me the legal ability and obligation of becoming your lawyer for the duration of this case?”

“I do.” Her voice was clear and strong. There was a light glow that surrounded them, sealing the magical deal.

“What would you personally like from this deal?” he inquired

“I just want him out of my life and away from my baby. Oh and I want my cat.” He nodded thoughtfully

“You do realize that we will have to speak to your husband at some point correct?” She nodded thoughtfully.

“I think it would be best if we wait for a while before doing so however.” She told him. “I am well aware that I am not emotionally stable right now, and I need to finish my personal rediscovery before I even attempt to see him again.” Blaise nodded,  Draco was just pleased that she was capable of admitting that she probably shouldn’t see him right away. It meant she was learning to think for herself again. That she was moving on.

“Well then I best be going. See you later Granger.” She nodded at him politely.

“You still have that monster?” Draco asked her when Blaise was out of the room. she looked offended

“Crookshanks isn’t a monster! He is a wonderful pet and an even better friend!” Draco raised an eyebrow.

“It’s kind of sad that your best friend is a cat.”

“He’s a half kneazle actually, and you say that as if your best friend isn’t a five year old.” Draco pretended to look offended before he shrugged and sat down in the chair across from Teddy.

“So we’re both pathetic then.” she smiled slightly at him, she seemed to be waiting for something of some sorts. “What are you staring at Granger, go back to your book. We both know that’s what you want to do.” She looked startled

“Are you-”

“Yes I’m sure. My world doesn’t revolve around you speaking to me, I’m sure I can find something else to do, this is a library after all.” she nodded uncertainly and turned back to her book. Draco spent the time watching her and pondering what she had said earlier. No matter how alike they seemed, he knew that he and Hermione were different people, and despite his ability to get by with only three people in the world to care about, he knew she was different. She needed people who loved her. That was part of the reason she was in this state in the first place.

He sighed in defeat at the realization that he wouldn’t be able to get out of this one, he would have to talk to Potter. He hated talking to Potter. The man was unbelievably mushy and kind, if a bit dense. It drove Draco up a wall knowing that Wonder Boy not only no longer hated him, but actually liked him a bit, despite his prickly personality. If he was being completely honest with himself, it was because Draco had always rather admired, if not envied Potter. He was not however, in the habit of being honest, especially with himself, and he settled for believing that it was because he just didn’t like the insufferable man.

He hoped he wouldn’t regret this.


	4. Support

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I probably won't be updating for a while after this, since I'm going home for Winter Intercession. Honestly, if I hadn't already written this, I wouldn't be posting this chapter either. Not to fear though. I have quite a few more chapters written and will continue updating regularly when I return. (or possibly before if my family drives me batty.)  
> Until then, enjoy!

Chapter 4

Draco knocked on Potter’s door only once before inviting himself in.

“Potter.” He said

“Malfoy. To what do I owe this pleasure?” Harry smiled at him, no doubt relieved for that excuse to avoid the paperwork that was covering every inch of his desk.

“Before I answer, I need you to swear that you won’t speak a word of what I’m going to say to you to anyone, no matter how much you may think you trust them. That means no one Potter.” Harry nodded and his expression turned serious. He leaned forward onto his desk, all of his attention focused onto Draco.

“It’s about Granger.” Draco assessed Potter’s reaction. His expression flitted from anger to concern, to sadness before settling on a stoick calm. Draco nodded to himself. He would be willing to listen, given the proper motivation.

“First off, what did the Weasel tell you happened to his darling wife?” Draco asked him, telling himself he was asking so his could assess the damage, but he knew he was mostly just curious. Harry rubbed his face, ignoring the jab at Ron.

“He came home to find her with some guy. Apparently they’d been seeing each other for months. He kicked her out, so she took all her stuff and left without even saying goodbye.” Draco snorted. Potter looked up at him in shock.

“He couldn’t come up with anything better than that? What on earth did she see in him?” He shook his head sadly before focusing an angry stare on Harry. “And You. Are you really that dense?” Harry opened his mouth to interrupt.

“You knew her for what? 12 years? And you never noticed? When she stopped speaking to people, stopped reading, stopped bossing people around and stopped being Granger just in general?” Harry stood up

“Of course I noticed! I noticed and wondered every day what happened to my best friend,I would ask her what was wrong and she would say she was fine! Every time I asked Ron, he just said she was going through some stuff. I figured it was none of my business and left it alone!” He yelled. Draco pulled the pictures he had taken two days before out of his pocket and threw them onto Harry’s desk. He looked down at them and sat down in shock. Picking them up to stare at them.

“Tell me Potter, is that really none of your business?” Draco sneered “How many times did you talk to her alone? Without her husband around. Think about it Potter! When would she have struck something up with someone? She never went anywhere without the Weasel, I know you know that because I heard him tell you. You abandoned her.” He accused the hapless Boy Wonder. Harry looked up at Draco, almost on the verge of tears.

“When were these taken?”

“Three weeks ago. Luckily for her, it was the first time.”

“Why-”

“Did she come to me instead of you?” Draco softened his tone slightly “Look Potter, you and her haven’t really been friends for nearly three years, she knew if she went to you, that he would be able to find her. She was probably also afraid that you would take the Weasel’s side. Her feelings weren’t all that unfounded.” He pointed out with a small shrug “She knew I was somewhat trustworthy. I suppose  have you to thank for that. And she knew that  Weaselbee still hates my guts. Do the math.” Harry sighed.

“Why did you tell me all this Malfoy? It’s obvious she doesn-”

“That would be where you are wrong Potter.” Draco interrupted “She’s been through some major emotional trauma, as well as a complete personality crisis. She needs friends. She needs you.” Draco was slightly disgusted at the thought, but he knew it was true. Hermione was going to need reassurance that people really did love and care about her, no matter what. There was a strange twisting in his gut when he thought about the knowledge that he wasn’t enough for her right now. He shook it off and took the pictures off the desk, putting them back in his pocket.

“Do you think she wants to see me?” Harry asked

“I know she does. Come around my place for dinner friday night. You can bring your wife if you like. Just make sure she knows what actually happened.” Draco warned him. The last thing Hermione needed was a relapse because Ginny Potter decided to show her bitchy side. Draco wondered when he started to care about the Gryffindor’s wellbeing. He decided that it was probably somewhere around the time he’d found her on his front doorstep.

 

After his impromptu meeting with Potter, Draco took the rest of the afternoon off and went home to help his new charge and play with his cousin. Potter could grant him this one after all the emotional strain he’d caused Hermione. He didn’t miss the look of relief that covered her face when he walked into the library.

“Miss me Princess?” He teased her lightly

“In your dreams Malfoy.” She replied and he could almost see her as the strong willed girl he’d admired in school rather than the broken woman who had graced his doorstep three weeks prior. “Can I ask you a question?” she interrupted his thoughts. He flopped into one of the chairs, noticing that Teddy was once again asleep in the chair beside her. It looked like the little bugger had taken his orders to not leave Hermione alone, very seriously.

“You’re actually asking now?” He raised an eyebrow at her and she flushed red

“Sorry. Habit.” He nodded and eyed her curiously as she pulled a small notebook from her pocket. She quickly jotted something down and snapped it shut.

“What’s that?” he asked her, eyebrow still up. She shook her head

“Nothing.” He shrugged

“You had a question?” He prompted. she bit her lip then blurted out

“Why do you know so much about me? I mean you knew exactly how to help me, how to calm me down and how did you know that Blaise would help me, and you knew that I would want to help in the kitchen when I first got here and- well. Why?” He let her finish her rambling

“Honestly Granger, do you really think you’re the only one who has gone through emotional abuse?” she opened her mouth to answer, then closed it again, opting to just give him a questioning look. He sighed. “After the war I lost just about everything. My mother wasted away to nothing after my father was sent to Azkaban, I was left with a manor I never wanted to see again, money I had no need for, a lifetime’s worth of traumatic experiences to get over, and a family name in shambles. So I did what I knew how to do. I married Pansy Parkinson because she was there and she had always been there. I moved in here because it was the only place I had ever known, and I tried to pick up the shambles I called my life.” She nodded at him to go on

“If I had been more emotionally stable I would have realized what a bad idea marrying Parkinson was, but as it was, I was still trying to keep my sanity and was perfectly happy clinging to everything that I knew. Which unfortunately included her.” He took a breath

“Eventually, despite Pansy’s unfortunate attempts at impeding progress, I started to pull my life back together again and I realized that the stupid bint had been spending thousands and thousands of my galleons to shop with; galleons I had donated to various war reparations in an effort to regain some of my dignity. She’d also been bribing all of the employers I had spoken to, convincing them to not hire me. She knew that once I got back on my feet, I wouldn’t really need her anymore, and she couldn’t handle it. If Pansy is anything, it’s needy, and she did everything she could to keep me where she could manipulate me into doing whatever she wanted.” He looked at Hermione  and knew from the look on her face that she knew that that’s exactly what her husband had done to her, as she was holding a protective hand over her stomach, a habit she had fallen into the last couple of days.

“How did you get out?” Hermione wondered aloud

“If I had been like you, I don’t think I could have. the only difference was that I never actually loved Pansy. She was a girl I had cared about my entire life, and nothing more. And when I discovered how she had been manipulating my for months, even those feelings were gone. I cared about her, and would probably have done just about anything for her, but I was never in love with her.

After I divorced her, I spent a long time drunk out of my mind, trying to cope with the fact that Pansy was basically the only thing I’d had left and I had just chased her out of my life. I actually got my job because I noticed Potter chasing a guy down the street and stunned him as he ran past. Potter offered me a job on the spot. Said if I could send that powerful a stunning spell at a moving target while drunk, he wanted me on his team. That was a year and a half ago.”

“You didn’t have anyone when you first divorced her?” She asked, looking concerned. Leave it to her to be concerned about him, rather than herself, when she was the one with the current problems.

“No. I guess I had Blaise later on, I don’t know how many times the asshole dragged me out of the bar. But when it first started, I had no one. I never really had any friends in school, in fact Pansy is the only one I could really have called a friend. The rest of them were just lackeys. I mean, let's be honest here, could you imagine spilling your deepest secrets to Crabbe or Goyle?” She giggled

“That is a mental image I didn’t need.” She grinned at him “Don’t worry Draco. I’ll be your friend. You won’t have to resort to telling your secrets to poor Teddy. I’m not sure he could handle that much trauma at such a young age anyway.” He eyed her with a fake frown.

“Ha bloody ha. You’re so funny Granger.” She smirked at him and he was reminded of himself from five years before. It was a strange look on her.

Before either of them could say anything else, Teddy woke up and looked between them.

“What’s for lunch?” He asked, his hair turning a sickly green.


	5. Getting Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo I'm back. Still not back to school yet but I decided I wanted to give you guys this chapter now. Hope you like it!

Chapter 5

In the weeks since her arrival, Hermione was steadily getting more and more comfortable living in Malfoy Manor. With the help of Teddy she had taken to exploring the huge mansion, and the two of them would often find all manner of interesting things. They found books and paintings, old robes and silverware, and something that looked suspiciously like Draco’s baby album.

“Hermione!” Draco called from the stairs, not bothering to walk all the way up to find what she and Teddy had gotten into now. Hermione grinned and motioned to Teddy that they should keep the photo album a secret for now. The little boy nodded vigorously and grinned back. they walked down to meet Draco.

“I forgot to tell you guys. We’re having guests for dinner tonight. They’ll be here in ten, so if you want to change out of those dusty clothes-” he nodded at Hermione then turned to Teddy. “You don’t have a choice mister.” Teddy pouted for a minute before racing Hermione back up the stairs to his room. Hermione laughed lightly at the little boy’s antics before escaping into her own room to change. She felt the change in the wards that announced the arrival of someone on the property and sped up her efforts. She reached the bottom of the stairs just as Draco opened the door. She stopped when she recognized the black hair of her once friend, Harry Potter. She looked at Draco, slightly confused.

“Hermione!” Harry saw her and she panicked, freezing in shock and fear before bolting back up the stairs.

“Nononononono I can’t do this. I lied to them, oh they must hate me so much!” She paced around her room, dragging her hands through her hair in nervous apprehension. She heard a knock that she had come to recognize as Draco’s.

“Hermione? Can I come in?” she began to nod, and realized he couldn’t see her. Was she losing her mind now too? She wanted to cry. This was so unlike her. She knew he couldn’t see her, so why did she nod. Oh, there was another one for her list. Her list. She pulled it from her pocket and silently accio’d a pen,  making another note in the book before finally answering with a soft.

“Come in.” He opened the door, entered, and shut it softly behind him.

“What’s wrong?”He asked her tentatively.

“They probably hate me!” She wailed, not able to contain her emotions any longer. She felt awful, as Draco was on the receiving end of these emotional outbursts more often than not. Her only consolation was that he didn’t seem to mind them in the least. In fact, she suspected he rather relished them as they usually let to some form of educational debate that would oftentimes last for hours on end before finally coming to rest with the interference of either Andromeda or Teddy.  He smiled at her calmly. That was another thing about Draco that was completely different from the prat she’d grown up with. He was cool, calm and collected. No matter the stakes. A far cry from the bitter, emotional boy she’d remembered.

“Granger. You trust me do you not?” She nodded her head once for him to go on. “Do you really think I would invite anyone into my home whom I thought might possibly do you harm?” She shook her head

“But-” He held up a hand. An act that was really beginning to irritate her.

“Please Hermione. Give them a chance.” She couldn’t stop the tears that rolled down her face if she tried. She gave a shaky laugh.

“Do you know how ironic it is that you of all people are telling me to give Harry and Ginny a chance?” He grinned.

“Which is why I won’t be repeating it. Now come on waterworks. I’m starved.” She smiled and wiped the tears off her face, moving past him as he held the door open for her.

She spotted Harry, still waiting at the bottom of the stairs, she noticed he was sporting a wide grin, and gave him a tentative smile in return. He grinned even broader if possible as she moved down the stairs to stand before him. She felt her eyes tearing up once again and she let out a sob as he hugged her close, hugging him back fiercely. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed her best friend until then.

“I’m sorry ‘Mione. I should have known what was going on. I should have stopped it.” Hermione shook her head.

“It’s okay Harry. You’re here now. That’s what matters.” Ginny came up behind her husband and tapped him on the shoulder

“Stop hogging her! I want a hug too!” she complained. Harry and Hermione both laughed as they separated. Ginny gave Hermione a hug as well.

“Great. Now if you’re done being mushy, Can we have dinner?” Draco complained. Hermione gave him a hug too.

“Thank you.” she whispered in his ear. He gave a long suffering sigh.

“Bloody Gryffindors with your feelings and your hugs.” He muttered. All three Gryffindors laughed. Teddy bounced down the stairs.

“Mum! Dad!” He yelled running into their legs.

“Did you hide it well?” Hermione asked the boy, she had long ago learned that if you ever wanted anything to disappear, you gave it to Teddy Lupin. He nodded an affirmative and gave her a lopsided wink. “Good man.” She replied with a grin.

 

They were nearly done with dinner before the subject of Ron was brought up again. Luckily Teddy had gotten bored and had run off five minutes before. Andromeda, seeing what was coming, excused herself and went after the small boy.

“I know you don’t want to Hermione. But we need to talk about him.”Harry started slowly. She nodded numbly for him to go on. Harry had never been one to beat around the bush when it came to things like this. Neither was Ginny for that matter.

“He told us that he kicked you out. That you were sleeping with someone else, had been for months.” Ginny told her flat out. Hermione rather appreciated her bluntness. Even if the truth killed her inside.

“What does the rest of your family believe?” She asked them quietly.

“You. Well, us.” Harry replied. “We went and spoke with them yesterday, explained to Molly and Arthur exactly what happened. They said they’d pass the message on to everyone else, and he’s been banned from the house for a long time. I actually watched Arthur change the wards. They said to tell you that you’re always welcome to Sunday brunch, Draco too if he wants it.” Harry nodded at Draco, who only gave a curt nod in reply. Ginny squeezed Hermione’s hand as she broke once again into tears.

“You’re not alone Hermione. We’re all here for you whenever you need us okay?” Hermione nodded mutely and rubbed her eyes. She laughed lightly.

“I don’t know why I’m so weepy today. Thank you guys.”

“I do.” Draco muttered and Hermione shot him a dark look, she wasn’t sure she was ready for anyone else to know about the baby yet.

Harry and Ginny left shortly after, slowing only to say goodnight to Teddy. Hermione waited until they were gone before she pulled out a bucket of ice cream from the freezer and had a house elf find her some ginger from a cupboard. She’d never liked ginger until now. The bright side to her new craving was that it was helping with her nausea. She consumed the entire bucket of ice cream and bowl of ginger before finding her way back to her room. She wasn’t even sure when she’d started crying, but the tears continued to roll down her face and wouldn’t stop.

 

Draco followed her into her room for the second time that night, this time not even bothering to knock.

“Hermione. How many times do we have to tell you that he’s not worth your tears?” he asked, leaning against her bedpost. She laughed bitterly

“I know that. I know that better than anyone. He destroyed my life just as much as he controlled it Draco! How do I just move on?”

“I’m afraid I can’t answer that question.”

“And now he continues to destroy my life even after we’re not together! Who is going to take me seriously when everyone thinks I’m nothing but a stupid slag!?” She exploded

“You know the worst part though? The worst part is that I still love him! And I hate it!” She screamed, tears running down her face. “I hate that after all the shit he’s put me through, he still gets my stupid love. What does that make me? Loving a man who willingly abused me for three years?” She slid to the floor, sobs racking her entire body. “It was all a lie. They said that Love conquers all, but it’s all a lie isn’t it? It doesn’t conquer anything. All it does is hurt you.” Draco sighed.

“Potter was wrong. Love doesn’t conquer all. You don’t fall in love and suddenly all of your problems are solved. It doesn’t work like that. Relationships take just as much work as everything else. Love just gives you the ability to conquer shit together.”

“You say that but how do you even know?” She yelled at him almost hysterically“You said yourself that you didn’t even love your wife!” Draco forced himself not to react

“Hermione. I know it hurts right now. Believe me I do. But loving someone is never a mistake. You love your baby don’t you?” She nodded shakily, sobs still raking her body

“Do you think that your unborn child is a mistake? I mean, it’s their fault that you’ve been at the toilet for over an hour every day. Does the pain that baby is putting you through make you love it less? Does the pain make it unworthy of love?” She shook her head again, her sobs finally beginning to calm.

“It took me a long time to learn that lesson Hermione. You can’t choose who you love, or how long you’ll love them. All you can do is love them as hard as you can, and learn when love just isn’t enough.” She wiped her eyes, chest still heaving piteously.

“Who do you love Draco?” She asked

“I loved my parents. No matter how many terrible mistakes they made. I know I told you I wasn’t in love with Pansy, but I did love her. It’s the same way I love Andromeda. And Teddy. And Blaise. And you.” He told her, pushing a strand of hair from her face. “People leave, they hurt you and betray you. It’s a part of life. All you can do is pick yourself up and find someone new to love. And sometimes, you’ll need help getting up. And that’s okay too.” She gave a shuddery laugh.

“Draco Malfoy. When did you get so smart?” he grinned

“Somewhere between being a prat and a complete asshole I think.” She laughed and gave him a hug, knocking him to the floor from where he had been precariously crouching before. He hugged her back, ignoring the pain in his backside.

“Thank you Draco. For helping me get up.” She whispered.

“Anytime Hermione. Anytime.”


	6. Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Chapter, Enjoy!

Hermione’s recovery blossomed under the care of her old friends. She had yet to leave the manor, afraid of bumping into her soon to be ex husband more than anything else. In lieu of leaving the giant manor, she and Andromeda had taken to redecorating. It was a long and tedious process that required a lot of research on Hermione’s part, and a lot of patience on Andromeda’s, as Teddy was determined to help out as well. The two women were almost tempted to send him to the Potter’s house a week early.

They started with the main rooms and worked their ways up the house. Hermione was thankful that her her morning sickness had begun to lessen shortly after her reunion with Harry and Ginny, as the paint fumes would have driven her mad otherwise.

Draco, for his part, took the entire endeavor in stride, humoring the two witches with nothing more than an amused smile. He occasionally put his own input in when he found it necessary, and even helped teddy ‘design’ his room. But for the most part he avoided the women and their remodelling, saying that he didn’t want to sully his suit. Nevermind the fact that he had six others that were identical.

If Draco were to tell them the truth, it would be that he knew Hermione needed to be doing something. Heaven knew she was always doing something in school, even he hadn’t missed how she’d worn herself ragged in third year. Hermione was a woman of action, and Draco figured that if she and his Aunt wanted to remodel the entire house, who was he to argue? Maybe the remodel would remove some of the less pleasant memories.

Hermione had also begun reuniting with some of her other friends. Neville and luna were some of the first, followed by George and his girlfriend Angelina. She slowly came in contact with all of her friends again, including Molly and Arthur, though she had yet to join them at the Burrow for Brunch. It got to the point that Draco complained that she was turning his house into a circus. Hermione had the feeling that he disliked how lonely the house was as much as she did, and was secretly glad for the company. Even if most of them were Weasleys.

She was sitting in the library reading a book on the Dark ages, when the floo sounded. Draco had finally given up and connected the Manor to the Burrow for her friends to visit, telling her that she’d better not host any parties at the manor if he did so. Hermione just laughed at him, she had become accustomed to Draco’s mood swings and gruff orders and knew exactly when he was just putting on a front. Andromeda had commented later that he probably didn’t even realize just how transparent he really was.

She greeted the familiar forms of Luna and Ginny with a wide smile, putting her book back on the shelf beside her.

“Hey guys!” She sat up straight, ignoring the aching in her back.

“Are you okay?” Ginny asked, rushing to her side. Apparently she hadn’t ignored it well enough. Hermione looked up when she heard the sound of the Floo once again. She looked at Ginny and Luna.

“Was anyone else coming over?” She questioned. They just shook their heads and watched the door. Hermione let out a sigh of relief when she saw the limber frame of Blaise Zabini.

“Hallo Blaise.” She greeted him warmly. This wasn’t the first time he’d come to visit her and discuss the divorce.

“Morning there Hermione!”

“Ginny, Luna, this is Blaise. He was in my year at Hogwarts. He’s also acting as my lawyer for the divorce.” They greeted him warmly and shoot his hand. Blaise greeted them with equal warmth before he turned on his business face.

“Hermione. You have to announce the divorce soon. If you wait much longer, you’ll be showing and your entire argument will be blown to shreds.”

“Showing? What’s he mean?” Ginny looked at her, a bit confused.

“She’s pregnant.” Hermione and Ginny both turned to look at Luna.

“Yes. But how did you know?” Hermione asked the younger girl.

“The wackspurts.” She told her dreamily, as if that should make perfect sense. Hermione and Ginny just looked at each other. Blaise was eying Luna was a look of fascination. Hermione recovered first.

“I am aware I need to talk to him Blaise. I just… she flailed her hands helplessly.

“Why don’t I go with you?” Ginny asked. “Blaise and I can join you while you tell him. We can keep him from doing anything stupid.” Hermione nodded slowly, not quite sure how to tell Ginny that she would actually prefer Draco’s presence over her own. She was saved from an awkward conversation when Blaise spoke up.

“I think you’re better off not having me there. If he discovers who your lawyer is, it’ll make it that much harder. Why don’t you ask Potter?” Hermione shook her head

“No good. Ron is still his best friend, I can’t put Harry in that position.”

“Then who? You need another person there to restrain him.” Blaise pointed out.

“Draco.” Hermione said

“Is that really a good idea?” Ginny asked. Hermione shrugged

“Good idea or not, he’s the one I want there.” Blaise nodded.

“I’ll send an owl with a meeting time and place and let you know.”

 

They arranged themselves at the small table outside a cafe in Diagon Alley. Hermione was too nervous to even consider drinking the coffee she had cradled between her hands.

“Why are we sitting outside again?” Draco grumbled shivering against the November cold. Hermione smiled at him while Ginny rolled her eyes.

“Because we need to be in plain view of bystanders, should he try anything. We discussed this Malfoy. It was your idea in fact!” She scolded him. He gave her a scowl in return.

“That was before I discovered that it would be colder than St. Nick’s underpants out here. I’m a Malfoy. We don’t do cold well. We migrate to warmer climates. Like The Bahamas. I think I have a house in The Bahamas. Why don’t we go there?” He complained. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him and took a sip of her coffee.

“Are you implying that you are cold blooded? It would certainly explain your inability to tan.” She quipped. He rolled his eyes at her.

“Please. I don’t need a tan. My pasty complexion is a strategic choice. It’s all the rage nowadays. Even the muggles are into it. Like whatshisface in that muggle movie you made me watch the other day. The one about the ridiculous vampires?”

“I’m not sure you should be using vampires as role models Draco.” Hermione replied easily. His reply was cut off by the arrival of Ron.

“‘Mione.” He said, “Finally decide to come back to me have you? Well-” then he noticed Draco sitting beside her with his arm draped over the back of her chair. Ron turned to look at her angrily and Hermione wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. Draco must have noticed because he moved his arm from it’s position on her chair and squeezed her hand. She sent him a grateful smile and turned back to face her husband.

“What’s he doing here?” Ron yelled. Then he turned to Draco. “Why are you touching my wife?” Draco just raised an eyebrow at him. Hermione eyed him coolly, hiding the anger that had returned upon his cold words towards Draco.

“Sit down Ronald.” He obeyed quietly “Actually Ronald, I’m not here to beg for your forgiveness or some rot like that. I’m here to give you this.” she handed him the papers she had stashed in her coat pocket. He glanced down.

“You’re divorcing me?” He looked as if such a thing simply were not possible. “This is his fault isn’t it!” He yelled, pointing at Draco “He’s turned you against me!” Hermione stood up, her hair escaping from her ponytail to float around her head threateningly.

“You listen to me right now Ronald. This divorce is no fault but your own. You dug your grave, now you have to lie in it. Now I am offering you a very generous contract, all I want is what I have already taken, and Crookshanks.” A look of alarm crossed over Ron’s features as she sat back down and took another sip of her coffee.

“Um. See, the problem with that is… Well Crookshanks isn’t really around anymore.” Hermione eyed him dangerously. Her heart sunk into her stomach as she realized what he might mean.

“What happened to Crookshanks Ronald?” She said, dangerously quiet.

“Well, after you left, I was mad, and he was just… there.” Hermione wanted to cry for her beloved cat. Her eyes filled with a silent fury instead.

“Draco.” She held out her hand and Draco slid the other papers into her hand without a word. She dropped them onto the table, removing the once she had placed there previously and incinerating them with her wand. She stood up, followed by Draco and Ginny, who had miraculously held her temper throughout the entire exchange..

“You missed your chance Ronald. I’ll see you in court.” She stalked off. Managing to make it around the corner before she broke down in tears. Draco came up behind her and just held her while she cried on his chest. Ginny patted her arm.

“Sorry about Crooks, ‘Mione.” Hermione gave her a watery smile

“It’s okay. He was getting old anyway.” She looked around then broke down into tears again. Ginny and Draco looked concerned. “Stupid hormones. It’s just. I left my coffee on the table over there.” Draco started to laugh.

“I’ll buy you a new one okay?” She just nodded. 


	7. Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I have the rest of it written (finally haha) and so you can expect the rest sometime in the next couple of weeks. Enjoy!

Chapter 7

Christmas time at Malfoy manor was generally a rather somber affair, Draco would mope about the manor and stare out at the cold, drowning his sorrows in a bottle of firewhiskey. Then he would nurse the hangover the next day. Hermione had a different plan for the manor this year however. Draco watched her with a bemused smile as she and Andromeda ordered the house elves about the house with garlands and wreaths. The house elves were nearly as excited about the decorating as Hermione and Andromeda, though Draco suspected it was mostly because Hermione was finally allowing them to help her. Draco was informed by a flushed and rather pregnant Hermione, that his job was to acquire a Christmas tree for the library, which had somehow been turned into the main sitting area of the house, despite the fact that there were three actual sitting rooms for that purpose.

Draco dragged his young cousin along with him as he flood over to the Potter’s house.

“I’m in charge of getting a tree, and you are going to help me because I haven’t a clue what she wants from me.” He demanded after Teddy had found Harry in the garage. Harry just laughed and picked up his adopted son. They found a nice tree in the forest just outside of the Manor grounds and Draco held on to Teddy as Harry used a spell to chop it down.

“Don’t tell Hermione we used magic. She’s kind of picky when it comes to Christmas.” Draco nodded solemnly, lost in his own thoughts.

“Hey Potter? What happened to her mom? I know her dad passed away three years ago, but what about her mom?” Harry ruffled his hair and levitated the tree so they could carry it back to the manor.

“I’m not sure. She was heartbroken when Hermione didn’t go to the funeral of course. I’m afraid I didn’t keep track of her. Why do you ask?”

“I was going to invite her over for Christmas.” Harry gave him a weird look as they walked. Teddy running through the snow ahead of them with his hair changing between red and green at uncanny speeds.

“I think she’d like that.” He said finally. They walked the rest of the way back to the house without another word. Two days later, Harry called Draco into his office and gave him a piece of paper with an address on it. Draco only nodded his thanks.

 

As christmas drew closer, Hermione got more and more frazzled. She was constantly running around the manor, altering christmas decorations or baking cookies with Teddy. While Draco was glad she was keeping occupied, he wished she wouldn’t work quite so hard. A week before the holiday itself, Hermione told him the reason for the commotion was a Christmas party she and Andromeda were planning for that Christmas Eve.

Draco was less than pleased with this news, but he suffered in silence as he could tell that it meant a lot to Hermione. The list of things he put up with for her was at least as long as he was tall now. It didn’t help that his cousin was just as excited for the Christmas party as Hermione was. He went on and on about how ‘Torie’ would be there. Draco finally gave in and confronted Hermione about the identity of Teddy’s friend Torie.

“Oh. That would be Victorie. She’s Teddy’s age.”

“Who?” Draco got a sinking feeling that he already knew the answer.

“Victorie Weasley. Bill and Fleur’s daughter.” Hermione went back to stringing popcorn on the tree in one of the sitting rooms.

“Hermione. Just how many Weasleys are you inviting to this party?”

“All of them. Minus Ron of course. Also I’m not sure Charlie can make it as he’s still in Romania.”

“Do we have to invite all of them?”

“Yes Draco. They’d fit better here than at the Burrow anyway.”

“Yes but Weasleys?”

“Draco!”

“Fine. But I’m inviting Blaise too.”

“I already invited him.” She told Draco serenely, patting his cheek before using her wand to pull down a box of ornaments from on top of the piano where she had stored them. Draco blinked.

“Where’d you find the piano? I thought my father had it destroyed.” She grinned

“You like it? I found it in the cellar the other day. I had to get both Harry and Neville to help move it, and it took me hours to find the right spells to restore and tune it. Why you would put a beautiful grand piano like that in the cellar beats me.” Draco snorted and sat down at the bench.

“Who knows why my father did anything.” He lifted the lid and gazed at the keys he knew so well. He’d missed this. Hermione watched him with a small smile. Draco wasn’t as hard hearted as he liked to pretend, and she loved that she was one of the few blessed with the opportunity to see this side of him. The side that liked Christmas and loved playing the piano. The side that helped people in need and never asked for anything in return. She liked being able to see the real Draco, despite all the masks he wore.

 

When the day of the party came, Draco had to physically restrain Hermione in order to get her to calm down.

“Relax, it’ll be fine. You’ll see.” She just crossed her arms and glared at him. He sighed. “Mia. If you keep stressing about this, you’re going to hurt the baby.” She looked at him quizzically.

“What did you call me?” He shrugged and blushed a bit.

“I just- I can stop if you want.” Hermione smiled at her frazzled friend.

“No. It’s fine. I rather like it.” he grinned at her and helped her out of her chair.

“Come on, I’ll help you if you promise not to do anything other than give orders. And we both know how good you are at that.” She scowled at him to hide her smile, but allowed him to lead her to the sitting room she had prepared for the party. There were moments when she thought Draco hadn’t changed much from the prat he’d been as a child, then he would do something like this and Hermione would know he had. He was becoming a better person she had ever dreamed he could be, and she couldn’t be more pleased with his progress.

The funny thing was that even when he was being a prat, or teasing her, it was endearing rather than annoying as it had been in school. Draco Malfoy had grown up. And so had she. In fact, the only one she knew who was still stuck in the past, who hadn’t grown up or moved on, was her soon to be ex-husband. It was funny how things changed.

 

Hermione’s party, to everyone’s surprise, went off without a hitch. Draco was not the most fond of supporters for the Weasley’s but even he made an effort to keep from dropping insults. Nothing Hermione said though could stop him from making up rude names for Harry. The two men never bothered to mention to her that the jokes were made in pure jest, despite their rocky history.

It never occurred to the two of them that they were dealing with a very stressed and very pregnant woman. It also never occurred to them that they were with a five year old boy who loved his ‘Aunt Minnie’ more than anything, and adored tattling.

“You say that now ferret, but I bet you I could still beat you on the pitch, no problem.”

“Fuck you Potter, I can beat you any day!” Teddy gasped at his bad word and ran out of the room as fast as his little legs would take him. The two men looked at one another and chased after the boy, praying they got to him before he reached Hermione. They knew they were screwed as soon as he began to yell.

When the men arrived in the library where Hermione, Ginny, Andromeda and Molly all sat, they froze in their tracks. Teddy was speaking animatedly to Hermione, who was listening with an increasingly stony look on her face.

“Hermione! We can explain!” Harry started, she ignored him and looked at Draco.

“Do you have something to say for yourself Draco?” He had the sense to look ashamed, and he hung his head.

“Sorry Mia, we forgot he was in the room.” She eyed them carefully then allowed a small smile to creep onto her face.

“Why don’t you gather the rest of the guests in here boys?” She told them. They eyed each other warily, but knew better than to question her.

“Teddy.” Hermione turned to the little boy seriously, as soon as the men had left the room. “It’s time.” He grinned and ran off with a squeal of glee.

 

Draco had never before considered how devious Hermione could be, and he knew he would never make that same mistake again. Despite his public torture at the hands of his baby book the day before, he still couldn’t bring himself to even care. As soon as he’d seen the smile on Hermione’s face, his own discomfort hadn’t seemed to matter. The amount of indifference he had about the situation was beginning to worry him. He knew he was falling for Hermione and he was desperately afraid of losing her, leaving him to wonder; what would happen when she left? He hoped he never had to find out. Maybe his present would help with that?

 

Hermione was having the opposite dilemma. Her heart beat fast inside her chest every time she thought about the way Draco had smiled at her the night before, despite his obviously uncomfortable public flogging. She was drawn from her uncomfortable thoughts by a knock on the manor doors. She got up to go answer it, already missing the yells of her young ‘nephew’ who would no doubt be attempting to open it himself, were he and his grandmother not staying at the Potters house for the remainder of the holiday.

Hermione smiled at the thought of the five year old, as she opened the door. Standing on the doorstep, looking distinctly uncomfortable, was her mom. Helena Granger gave her daughter a tentative smile.

“Hermione, my beautiful baby girl, I’ve missed you.” Hermione collapsed into her mother’s embrace and let all her pain wash over her. She hadn’t even realized how much she’d missed her mom, until she was there. Hermione vaguely heard the sound of Draco’s voice behind her.

“I see you’ve found your present.”

 

 


	8. Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We near the end at long last! There is one more chapter, and then the epilogue. I will post both sometime next week. Thanks for sticking with me guys!

In the weeks following Christmas, Hermione found herself in the presence of her mother more often than not. To the point that it was beginning to drive her crazy.

“I love my mum! I really do! I just wish she would leave me alone sometimes! It’s like she’s trying to make up for all of the years she wasn’t around.” Hermione complained to Draco one day. He watched her pace with a sort of bemused smile on his face.

“If it weren’t so close to your due date I would help you escape. I do still have that house in the Bahamas.” She groaned and flopped into the chair across from him.

“Don’t tempt me.” He smirked

“Tempt you? Nonsense Granger. I’m not going to let you do anything that might potentially harm that child of yours. I guess I’ll just have to go by myself.” She laughed. Then let out a squeak as the little one inside her landed a good kick on her ribs.

“Draco! It’s kicking!” she summoned him over and gently placed his hand on her stomach. “Do you feel it?” she whispered. This wasn’t the first time the baby had kicked, but it was definitely the hardest, and she knew there was now a chance that he would actually be able to feel it. The baby kicked again, almost as if it were acknowledging his touch. Draco stared at her in awe. Hermione just beamed at him.

She felt a sudden pang of sadness. This was supposed to be Ron. She was supposed to be sharing all of these firsts with her husband and best friend. Not with her former enemy who was now the closest thing she had to a family. She pondered that for a moment. When did Draco become more of a family than the Weasleys and Harry? And even her own mother for that matter?

“Stop thinking Hermione.” Draco said quietly. “Just let yourself have this moment. Stop letting should haves and could haves get in the way of your happiness. Okay?” Hermione just stared at him in wonder. How did he always know what was going through her head?

“You’re not using Legilimency on me are you?” She blurted out, before she could remember that it would probably be considered rude. He just laughed and stood up.

“I’m going in to work for a while, will you be alright here by yourself? Andromeda and Teddy are visiting some of her friends, but I can call Potter and Weaslette if you like.” She smiled at him

“I’ll be fine Draco.”

 

A knock sounded throughout the huge manor, waking up Hermione from the long nap she was in. She sighed lightly and went downstairs,  knowing that if it were anyone who intended harm, the wards would warn her in advance. The first thing she could think to say when she opened the door was

“Oh it’s you.” Pansy pushed past her and into the house.

“Where’s Draco?” She demanded. Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, wincing as she accidentally hit one of her sore breasts.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Because, you stupid bint, I want to take him back!” Hermione stared at the woman across from her in confusion.

“What makes you think he wants you back?” She asked the other woman, who was working on a tracking spell. Hermione didn’t bother to tell her that no one could use any form of location spells in the manor. Pansy sneered at her, dropping her spells.

“Who do you think you are! I am his former wife, and will be so again! Do you really think you stand a chance at his affections? This is Draco Malfoy we’re talking about here. He doesn’t love anyone. Especially filthy little mudbloods like _you_.” Hermione felt like she’d been stabbed. Not because of the insult, that had ceased to irritate her years before. No, the thought that Draco may not ever love her made her chest ache in a way that made her vision swim before her eyes.

“Pansy.” Draco’s voice came from the top of the stairs. He stalked down them, his face a mask that was reminiscent of his days at Hogwarts. It rather frightened Hermione, as he looked so different from normal. Hermione ached to see his smile again. She didn’t like this stoic Draco.

“Draco! I was just putting the mudblood slut in her place. Why you took her in, really Draco. You’re much too kind for your own good. Imagine if your father were-”

“Get out.” He interrupted her, pointing to the door. Pansy’s eyes widened.

“But Draco!”

“I said out! How dare you come into my house and insult its inhabitants! Get out and never come back!” Pansy harrumphed and stalked out of the house, closing the door behind her with a loud bang. The mask melted off Draco’s face and he turned to Hermione, concern written all over his features.

“Are you alright?” She nodded, hands moving habitually to her stomach. He crossed the room and grasped her hands, staring into her eyes. “Are you sure you’re alright? She didn’t try to hurt you?” Hermione smiled and shook her head again. He let go of her hands and let out a sigh of relief. “Good. I came as soon as I felt her in the wards. Obviously they aren’t good enough.” he commented dryly. She gave him a small smile, trying to control her raging emotions. Her fingers tingled where he had been touching them, and she had to force her breathing to remain steady.

This was not good. Not at all. Hermione needed him to stop looking so concerned. She needed him to step away from her and give her some air to breathe. She needed to _think_. She needed her list. Hermione gave him another smile and escaped to her room as fast as she could.

She allowed herself to relax as soon as she entered her room, reminding herself that panicing was never good for the baby. She began to pace around the room. What did it mean? The tightness in her chest, the near glee whenever he entered the room, the tingles whenever he touched her. It was almost the way she felt when… no. She fought the panic that began to rise and wandlessly accioed her list from the bedside table.

Then she made a list. It was what she was good at after all. Unlike all of the other lists that had accumulated throughout the little notebook, this was a compare and contrast list that could potentially change her life, again. She considered ignoring the feeling in her chest and the tingling that was still running through her hands, but she remembered the first thing she’d ever written in her notebook ‘ _I get frustrated when I don’t know things_ ’ and pressed on. She listed her symptoms in neat little lines that did nothing to betray the raging emotions that were wreathing beneath the surface of her skin.

She felt her heart sink in her chest when she reached the end. There it was, written in simple black lettering across the page, the answer to her questions, and the realization that nothing could ever be the same again. She flipped back to her original list and wrote her findings in the same clear script as the rest of her lists.

 

> _147\. I am in love with Draco Malfoy._


	9. Being Practical

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be the last real chapter before the epilogue. It has been a true pleasure to share this story with you all. 
> 
> I have a couple in Progress stories going, and several more that aren't even posted, so keep an eye out for those as well.
> 
> Thank you all!

Hermione’s breath caught in her throat. She was in love with Draco Malfoy. It almost didn’t seem possible. How could she have fallen in love again, so quickly, so easily. It almost didn’t seem real. But there it was, staring up at her from the pages of her little notebook.

> _147\. I am in love with Draco Malfoy._

She had to leave. Now, before the baby came. Before she fell in love with him any more. She had to leave before she couldn’t. He deserved more than her, she could see that now. He deserved someone who could cherish him the way Pansy should have cherished him before, he needed someone who would support him, not someone who was going to have three years of emotional trauma and a newborn baby. He needed someone whole.

He needed someone who wasn’t her.

Hermione summoned her belongings from where they were scattered around the room. Maybe she would go to Harry and Ginny’s for a while, while she got back on her feet. She could find a job at the Ministry, surely she could find something to do that would support her and the baby? There was a knock on the door.

“Come in!” She called, throwing all of her belongings back in her beaded bag.

“What are you doing?” Draco asked her from the doorway.

“Packing. I should think it’s obvious.”

“Why?” He looked a bit panicked now. “Did I do something?” she shook her head

“I can’t stay here forever Draco.”

“Why not?”

“Because! I just can’t!” she threw a stack of books on the bed and turned around. Draco reached out and grabbed her wrist lightly, she wondered at the look of panic in his silver orbs.

“Is this because of Pansy?” She shook her head

“I just… I can’t stay.” He cupped her face lightly.

“Don’t leave Hermione. Please. Look at what you’ve done to this place. You’ve changed it. You’ve changed me.”

“Draco, I can’t stay here forever, I have to find a place for me and the baby and it’s not fair to you to be hanging around all the time. You deserve a chance to find someone who will make you happy.”

“Hermione! You make me happy! The day you showed up on my doorstep was the day that my life started over again! Potter may have given me a job, but you were the one who gave me a chance. I can’t thank you enough for that. Hermione, you are the best thing that ever happened to me, and I love you. Don’t leave.” Hermione’s eyes widened in shock, and she fought back the tears that threatened to erupt at any moment.

“How can you love me? I’m a wreck!” She whispered

“Because you’re beautiful, and smart, and funny. And you tell me when I’m being an ass, and you don’t expect people to change for you, but embrace it when they do anyway. Because you still want to be friends with me even though I hurt you so many times. Because you trusted me at your lowest point, and gave me a reason to be a better person. How many reasons do I have to give you before you before you believe me?” She shook her head but sat back down on the bed. He sat beside her and held her hand in his.

“Can I?” Draco asked softly. Hermione found it almost funny. No one had ever asked permission to kiss her before. She nodded once, wondering why on earth he would want to kiss a grumpy, bloated, pregnant woman like her. His lips were feather soft on hers, almost as if they weren’t there at all. He kissed her as if she were the most precious thing in the world to him, and she had never felt so special in her entire life. Not even on Ron’s good days.

“You don’t have to return my feelings right away, or at all really. But know this Hermione, I will always be here for you, for both of you.”He whispered to her.” And if you move on and decide to remarry some random bloke on the street later, you’d better at least invite her Uncle Draco to Christmas dinner, because I’m not going away. Not ever.” Tears were rolling down Hermione’s face by the time he was done talking.

“Oh Draco. I already do.” He opened his mouth, then her words registered.

“You- wait what?” She laughed. and picked up her infamous list from her bedside table and handed it to him. The same list he had been trying to get her to show him for the better part of six months.

“Here.” He looked down at it and realized why she was so secretive about it. This list was essentially a window into her soul. It took about 4 pages and was obviously written over a period of time as the color of ink kept changing, as well as the handwriting.

>   1. _I get frustrated when I don’t know things._
> 
>   2. _Lists make me feel better. (more in control?)_
> 
>   3. _I can be sarcastic._
> 
>   4. _I am independent._
> 
>   5. _I like to read. (especially history)_
> 
>   6. _I can ask questions_
> 
>   7. _I dislike making a fool out of myself, even when it’s only me_
> 
>   8. _I missed Harry Potter_
> 
>   9. _I can make my own happiness._
> 
> 


Her list ranged from being mildly surprising to downright alarming. His heart ached for her, how awful must if feel to forget everything that made you, well, you? His heart stopped however when he reached the last one.

> _147\. I am in love with Draco Malfoy._

 

He looked up at her, praying to anything and everything that it was true. She must have seen the question in his face because she bit back a smile and nodded. He grinned and pulled her into his lap to kiss her again.


	10. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we reach the end. Let me know what you think!

Draco watched the baby cradled in her mother’s arms from his perch in the chair beside the bed. His heart was already bursting with love for his precious angel, despite the fact that she really had no relation to him whatsoever.

Not yet anyway.

If Hermione would have taken him, he would have married her on the spot after they’d declared their love two months before. He knew for certain that there wasn’t anyone else in the world he’d rather spend his life with. Hell, if she wanted him gone, she’d have to beat him away with a stick.

Yes, he was completely and utterly infatuated with Hermione Granger. And her newborn daughter too. His father would be livid if he found out. Draco was almost willing a risk a visit just to see the look on his face. Almost.

“Decide on a name yet?” He asked Hermione softly, so not to wake the baby. She smiled down at her daughter serenely. The little girl’s soft golden curls almost glowing in the lamplight. It would be months, possibly even years before they discovered what her true hair color would be. It could go in any direction at this point. Hermione secretly hoped it would stay the beautiful blonde it was now. It reminded her of Draco.

“Lyra.” She replied. He grinned. It was perfect.

“Why Lyra?”

“It’s tradition isn’t it? In the Black family. Being named after constellations that is.” Draco stared at her and Hermione had to mask the grin that was threatening to erupt.

“Mia. She’s not a Black.” Hermione shrugged

“Not yet. I reckon thats what these are for then, yeah?” She tossed him a collection of papers with her free arm. No longer bothering to hide the grin from her face as he scanned the page.

“Hermione. Are you serious? You want me to-” Hermione put her finger to his lips to silence him, more afraid that he might say no, than out of actual want to silence him.

“You don’t have to make a decision now, I mean, if you’d rather wait unti-” He shut her up with a firm kiss on the lips.

“Merlin Mia, this is everything I ever dreamed of. Of course I don’t want to wait. I mean- fuck.” He ran his fingers through his hair in barely controlled excitement, and Hermione had a feeling that if she weren’t holding a baby, he would be spinning her in circles by now.

“Draco! Small ears!” She scolded him lightly. He just laughed. “Well then, I hereby introduce you to your new daughter. Lyra Andromeda Malfoy.” She gazed down at her daughter once again, awed at how small of a person could hold so much of her heart.

The door creaked open and Hermione looked up, straight into the eyes of Ronald Weasley. Draco immediately tensed. Ron looked nervous however, and he made no move to pass the doorway.

“Um. Hi.” He said shyly. Hermione forced herself to remain calm, and she felt Draco’s hand find hers and give it a squeeze. “Look. I know you don’t want me here, and I know I’m probably outstepping the limits of the divorce as well, but. I just wanted to apologize.” He gazed at his shoes and scuffed his feet, the same way he did when they were twelve. Hermione silently nodded at him to go on.

“Look Hermione. I know what I did to you was wrong, and I know there’s not really much I can do to make it up to you, but, I just want you to know, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I’m responsible for the pain you’ve been put through, and um. I’m glad you’re happy now. Even if it’s with Ferret face. I’ve seen the way he is around Teddy, and, well, I reckon that he’ll probably be a better dad than I will anyway.Take good care of her okay?” He looked at Draco, who  just nodded once. Hermione squeezed his hand in reassurance before calling out to Ron, who had just reached for the door handle.

“Wait. Ron.” He stopped and cautiously turned around. “Thank you. I’m not sure I can forgive you just yet, but one day maybe we’ll be able to be friends again. We were always better friends than we were partners. Bloody shame it took us three years to figure it out.” He grinned and nodded, giving a bit of a laugh.

“Oh and Ron. You may not make a very good dad right now, but I think you’ll be a really good uncle.” His head shot up and looked her in the eye. Hermione knew then that she hadn’t just made a mistake. She nodded with a small smile.

“Thanks Hermione. I really don’t deserve that.” He turned and left the room, Hermione suspected, before she could change her mind.

“He’s right you know. He doesn’t deserve that.” Draco commented. Hermione laughed as he pressed a kiss against her forehead.She shrugged

“I’m never going to get over it if I can’t put this behind me though. And I did rather miss him. Or rather the old him. I missed my best friend.”

“You, my dear, are way more forgiving than I.”

“There are worse qualities.” He grinned

“Ah. Very true. You are a very smart woman, Granger.”

“Are you sure you can handle that Malfoy?”

“I suppose we’ll just have to see, won’t we?”

  
Fin


End file.
